Uninvited Guest
by Nardragon
Summary: Bruce has an unannounced guest while he's hiding out in remote Norway.


This is a little headcanon I have for Bruce and Natasha. Basically happened between the events of Winter Solider and Age of Ultron and it's my take on how Natasha became Bruce's body guard. Does hint very vaguely to the beginnings of Bruce and Natasha's relationship.

* * *

Bruce knocked the snow from his boots as he walked into the small store. He pulled the scarf from around his neck and face. There were only two men in the store, both speaking in thick Norwegian. He was still picking up the language, but he recognized a few words- woman, beautiful. He smirked a bit. Maybe their playboys finally made up to this little backwater town.

Bruce wasn't even sure if it was big enough to be called backwater. It was remote, that's for sure. No cell service, no internet. He believe there were two radios in the entire town and the reception was horrible. He'd been in a slightly more accessible place until a few weeks ago. But then news broke about S.H.I.E.L.D and if a spy organization was making headline news he knew things were bad. He decided to change locations to stay hidden, and that landed him about as far north as you could get in Norway, in a town so small it didn't have name.

He grabbed the last three tin of beans from the shelves and some saltine crackers. It was sparse but it was what he had to make do with. He tossed a few bills at the counter and left, not eager to stay long. Even if this place people had heard about the avenger's and he didn't want to risk being recognized. Even if in most of the pictures he was a thousand pound raging green monster.

He trudged back on foot to his the little cabin he was currently calling home, half an hour away from the nearest building and hidden in a close cluster of pine trees against a cliff face. He opened the door walking to the fireplace and tossing a couple logs in.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he grabed the fire poker spinning around.

"Put that down. I can assure it's not going to be much use against me," the voice is light and smug.

Bruce sighed and dropped his hand, "Jesus Natasha, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"It's good to see you to Bruce,"

She's sitting on the one chair, in the corner of the cabin, her legs propped up on a log.

"What are you doing here? Does Fury need me for something?"

"Didn't you hear? Fury's dead,"

"Yeah, I heard, even all the way out here. I don't believe it though."

Natasha smiles a bit, "Well he is…for now,"

Bruce snorts a bit at this, "Okay, so he's dead, for now. Then who sent you here? Please don't tell me Tony made you track me down so I can help him with some project,"

"Like Stark could made me do anything. Would you believe I just came to see my friend?"

"If I had a little apartment in the Bronx, then yes. But coming all the way out here to say hello?"

"I needed to go underground for a while. And I figured since you're already laying low I'd just crash with you,"

"You're holding something back,"

"I'm a spy, I'm always holding something back,"

Bruce chuckles lightly and sits on the single cot, "Natsha, why are you here?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised, Hydra was hiding in every corner of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury wasn't actively tracking you but he still had an idea of your general whereabouts."

"So you're here to keep me safe from any Hydra who might have that information and wants to put me in their cross hairs,"

Natasha taps her nose and points at him saying he'd hit the mark.

Bruce laughs, "Really? You're going to be my bodyguard?"

"I guess you could put in that way,"

"Do you really think there's someone in hydra who could handle the 'other' guy?"

"No. But you can barely handle the other guy. I'm here to make sure you won't have too. If anyone does try to come after you I'll stop them before you have to resort to...extreme measures,"

Bruce arches an eyebrow, "A bodyguard for the beast. That's an interesting concept. Alright then. I guess you can stay, since I'm sure you're not going to take no as answer,"

"It wasn't even question,"

"But as you can see, I'm not really set up to have guest,"

"That's fine. I'll sleep on the floor for tonight. Tomorrow we can move out,"

"You can have the cot,"

"You don't need to be chivalrous,"

"I couldn't in good conscious let you sleep on the floor,"

"I've slept in worst places,"

Bruce sighed, knowing that this conversation wasn't going to lead anywhere, "Why are we leaving? This place is about as remote as it gets,"

Natasha lets out an amused huff, "Do you know how easy it was for me to fine you? And that's without any help from S.H.I.E.L.D."

"But you're you. I seriously doubt that hydra has any agents like you,"

"You flatter me, and underestimate Hrdra."

"Alright, where do you have in mind?"

"What do you think about Rio?"

"I think it's hot, and overpopulated,"

"The last time I found you, you were in India,"

"Fair point,"

"Also, in Rio we'll be able to get better food that," She indicates to the beans and crackers, "I've been prisons that had better food than that,"

"Prisons? Plural?"

"You're surprised?"

"You're what…thirty something? How could you possibly have been trained as a spy, spent time in multiple prisons and served with S.H.I.E.L.D long enough to be one of Fury's most trusted agents,"

"I really don't see how that's any of your business,"

"Well, we're friends aren't we? Isn't that friends do? Share life stories?"

"Unfortunately I don't have much experience with the concept of friends,"

"Yeah, me either. Being the kid who threw off the bell curve didn't make you popular. And being at least five years younger than everyone else in the grade didn't help. Also becoming a raging green monster didn't expand my inner circle as much you think it would. I'm just going off knowledge from watching sitcoms,"

Natasha chuckles lightly. She reaches behind her and digs around in a rutsack for a few seconds. She tosses a granola bar at Bruce, which he fumbles to catch.

"I'm sure that tastes better than what you have. And is probably healthier too,"

"Thanks Natasha,"

"Don't mention it,"

"And Nat?"

"Mmh?"

"It is good to see you. It's nice seeing a familiar face,"

"I missed you too Bruce,"

* * *

This is my first time writing for the MCU, but I have a feeling I'll be compeled to write more after I've seen Age of Ultron. The hints towards and Black Widow/Hulk relationship is very interesting and I'm eager to see how it unfolds.

Nardragon~ until the next page.


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